Nestable security cage for bulk mail, and the like

ABSTRACT

A security cage is provided which has particular utility in handling bulk mail, although it has general use, as will become evident as the description proceeds. The cage has an intermediate shelf and a bottom shelf, both of which are hinged, and both of which may be turned to an upright position to permit the cage to receive other like cages in a nested relationship through its open front end. The cage also has a pair of lower gates which are hinged to upright posts and which, when closed, enclose the lower portion of the open front. These lower gates may be turned back out of the way when the cage is to receive a like cage in nested relationship. The lower gates are held in a closed and locked condition when the intermediate shelf is turned down so that its forward edge engages the upper ends of the gates. The cage also includes an upper gate which is hinged to the forward edge of the intermediate shelf, and which may be turned up to a closed condition in which it encloses the upper portion of the open front end of the cage. The upper gate may be locked or sealed in its closed position, and when so locked or sealed, the entire structure is maintained in a secure condition, since the intermediate shelf cannot be turned up to release the lower gates until the upper gate has been opened. The upper gate may be turned back onto the upper shelf, and turned up with the upper shelf when the cage is to receive the second cage in the aforesaid nested relationship.

United States Patent [1 1 Wilson I [111 3,861,768 51 Jan; 21, 1975 NESTABLE SECURITY CAGE FOR BULK MAIL, AND THE LIKE [75] Inventor: James D. Wilson, Newport Beach,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Banner Metals Division of lntercole Automation Inc., Compton, Calif.

[22] Filed: Feb. 19, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 443,373

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 307,812, Nov. 20, 1972,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 312/250, 280/3399 H, 280/3399 S, 312/138 A, 312/295 [51] Int. Cl A47b 55/02 [58] Field of Search 312/210, 250, 138, 302, 312/108; 280/3399 T, 33.99 H; 220/29,

Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Assistant Examiner-C. F. Pietruszka Attorney, Agent, or FirmJessup & Beecher Wat/7mm [57] ABSTRACT A security cage is provided which has particular utility in handling bulk mail, although it has general use, as will become evidentas the description proceeds. The cage has an intermediate shelf and a bottom shelf, both of which are hinged, and both of which may be turned to an upright position to permit the cage to receive other like cages in a nested relationship through its open front end. The cage also has a pair of lower gates which are hinged to upright posts and which, when closed, enclose the lower portion of the open front. These lower gates may be turned back out of the way when the cage is to receive a like cage in nested relationship. The lower gates are held in a closed and locked condition when the intermediate shelf is turned down so that its forward edge engages the upper ends of the gates. The cage also includes an upper gate which is hinged to the forward edge of the intermediate shelf, and which may be turned up to a closed condition in which it encloses the upper portion of the open front end of the cage. The upper gate I may be locked or sealed in its closed position, and

when so locked or sealed, the entire structure is maintained in a secure condition, since the intermediate shelf cannot be turned up to release the lower gates until the upper gate has been opened. The upper gate may be turned back onto the upper shelf, and turned up with the upper shelf when the cage is to receive the second cage in the aforesaid nested relationship.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEB JANZ] I975 SHEEI 10F 4 PATENIEI] JANE! I975 SHEET t OF A NESTABLE SECURITY CAGE FOR BULK MAIL, AND THE LIKE This is a continuation of Ser. No. 307,812, filed Nov. 20, 1972, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A mail carrying vehicle is described in copending application Ser. No. 307,812 filed Nov. 20, 1972. The mail carrying vehicle described in the copending application is in the form of a wheeled rack. The wheeled rack of the copending application is capable of carrying bulk mail, as well as trays of stacked letter mail. The se curity cage of the present invention is similar in some respects to the rack described in the copending application, in that both are nestable into similar racks or cages when not in use.

However, the cage of the present invention has the additional capability of being locked or sealed for security purposes, and it also includes an intermediate shelf. The cage of the invention is locked or sealed by an interlocking combination of upper and lower gates, and the intermediate shelf, all of which may be turned to open positions when the cage is empty, so as to allow the cage to receive similar cages through its open front end in nested relationship without obstruction.

Bulk cribs are in general use in handling bulk mail, and these are supported on wheeled dollies to permit the cribs to be wheeled on and off the transport trucks without the need for handling the individual pieces of mail. However, to conserve space, the cribs and dolly of the prior art must be disassembled, and this involves additional labor. Because of that, it has been the practice to leave the prior art cribs assembled when they are returned to the distribution center, and this negates the very advantage for which the cribs were designed.

The security cage of the present invention, as mentioned above, is constructed to receive other like cages in a nested relationship for the return trip to the distribution center, so that space is conserved, this is achieved without the need for the troublesome and time-consuming disassembling operations required with the prior art cribs.

The security cage of the invention also includes the intermediate shelf referred to above which serves to divide up the load and to prevent crushing of the articles at the bottom of the cage. In brief, the security cage of the invention not only achieves all the objectives of the prior art cribs and transport carts, but it also has the advantage of being easily and simply locked or sealed for security purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective representation showing a security cage constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention, and in a closed and locked condition;

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. I, but with the upper gate of the cage open, to provide access to the articles on the intermediate shelf of the cage;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic perspective representation, showing the manner in which the various components of the cage may be folded back to permit a like cage to be nested into the front end of the cage; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation showing a plurality of cages in a nested condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION-OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT The security cage shown in the drawings includes a lower frame 10 which defines an open front for the cage, and which has side members which diverge outwardly from the rear of the cage. A plurality of casters 12 are suspended from the lower frame. The front casters, for example, may be of the swivel type, and the rear casters may be rigid. One of the front casters may be equipped with a wheel lock, such as described in said copending application Ser. No. 307,812.

A pair of upright posts 16 are mounted on the lower frame 10, and these posts are interconnected by a transverse member 20 which extends across the cage at the upper ends of the posts. A further pair of posts 22 extend upwardly from the lower frame I0 in spaced re lationship with the posts 16, and these latter posts are interconnected by a second transverse member 24 at their upper ends. The cage itself is formed of a multiplicity of U-shaped transverse members 26 which extend back from the front end of the cage and around the rear end. The members 26 are formed so that the side portions diverge from the rear end towards the open front end of the cage to permit nesting with other like structures. The transverse members 26 also extend across the top of the cage, so as to form a complete enclosure, with the exception of the open front end.

A pair of lower gates 30 are provided, each of which is hinged to one of theupright posts 16. The lower gates 30, when closed, enclose the lower portion ofthe open front end of the cage. The cage also includes a bottom shelf member 32, which is best shown in FIG. 3. The bottom shelf member 32 is mounted on the lower frame 10, and it has a hinged portion which, as shown, may be turned up and away from the lower frame to permit access for a like cage for nesting purposes. As also shown in FIG, 3, the gates 30 can be turned back clear from the open front end of the cage when in their fully opened position, and may be latched to the upright posts 22, to hold them in that position.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the cage includes an intermediate shelf member 34 which is supported on the shown in FIG. 1, extends over the upper ends of the gates 30, to hold the gates locked in their closed position, so long as the shelf 34 is turned down.

An upper gate 40 is hinged at its lower end to the forward edge of the shelf 34. When the shelf 34 is turned down to its horizontal position, the gate 40 may be turned up to the position shown in FIG. 1 and locked, or sealed, to the transverse members 20 by an appropriate locking or sealing means 42. It will be appreciated that so long as the gate 40 is locked or sealed in the po-. sition of FIG. I, the shelf 30 cannot be turned up, so that the lower gates 30 are also held locked in their closed condition, and security is maintained.

To unload the cage, the gate 40 is unlocked, and turned down to the position shown in FIG. 2. This permits access to the articles on the intermediate shelf 34. When the articles have been removed, the gate 30 is turned back onto the shelf 34, and the shelf is turned back to the position shown in FIG. 3. This permits the lower gate to be opened, and turned back to the position of FIG. 3, so that the contents on the bottom shelf may be removed. The bottom shelf may then be turned back to the position of FIG. 3, so that the cage is conditioned to receive other like cages in a nested relationshp, such as shown in FIG. 4.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved security cage which is simple and rugged in itsconstruction, and which is particularly adapted to handle bulk mail, or the like, for transportation from a central distribution center to outlying districts. When the cages are empty, they are in condition for nesting, since the very act of unloading establishes the cages in a nesting condition. Then, when nested, each additional cage adds only one-third its overall length to the line of cages returned to the central distribution station.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in the claims to cover the modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A nestable security cage comprising: a lower frame member having a rear end and an open front end, and having side members diverging outwardly from the rear end to the open front end; a pair of upright posts attached to said frame member adjacent the front end thereof; a first transverse member interconnecting the upper ends of said upright posts; a plurality of additional transverse members supported by said posts and enclosing the rear end, the top and the sides of the cage, said transverse members diverging from the rearend to the open front end of the cage; a bottom member supported on said lower frame member; a pair of lower gates hinged to said upright posts and extending across the front end of the cage when in a closed position to enclose a lower portion of the front end of the cage; and an intermediate shelf member supported above said bottom member in spaced relationship therewith and movable to a position in which the forward edge of said intermediate shelf member engages the upper ends of said lower gates to lock the lower gates in their closed position.

2. The nestable security cage defined in claim 1, and which includes a plurality of wheels attached to and depending from said lower frame member.

3. The nestable security cage defined in claim 1, and which includes an upper gate hinged at its lower edge to the forward edge of said intermediate shelf, and movable to a closed position for enclosing the upper portion of the front end of the cage.

4. The nestable security cage defined in claim 1, in which said bottom member and said intermediate shelf member each includes a hinged portion which may be turned up towards the rear end of the cage.

5. The nestable security cage defined in claim 3, and which includes lock means mounted at the upper edge of said upper gate and said first transverse member for locking the upper gate in its closed position and for concomitantly maintaining the forward edge of said intermediate shelfmember in engagement with the upper ends of said lower gates. 

1. A nestable security cage comprising: a lower frame member having a rear end and an open front end, and having side members diverging outwardly from the rear end to the open front end; a pair of upright posts attached to said frame member adjacent the front end thereof; a first transverse member interconnecting the upper ends of said upright posts; a plurality of additional transverse members supported by said posts and enclosing the rear end, the top and the sides of the cage, said transverse members diverging from the rear end to the open front end of the cage; a bottom member supported on said lower frame member; a pair of lower gates hinged to said upright posts and extending across the front end of the cage when in a closed position to enclose a lower portion of the front end of the cage; and an intermediate shelf member supported above said bottom member in spaced relationship therewith and movable to a position in which the forward edge of said intermediate shelf member engages the upper ends of said lower gates to lock the lower gates in their closed position.
 2. The nestable security cage defined in claim 1, and which includes a plurality of wheels attached to and depending from said lower frame member.
 3. The nestable security cage defined in claim 1, and which includes an upper gate hinged at its lower edge to the forward edge of said intermediate shelf, and movable to a closed position for enclosing the upper portion of the front end of the cage.
 4. The nestable security cage defined in claim 1, in which said bottom member and said intermediate shelf member each includes a hinged portion which may be turned up towards the rear end of the cage.
 5. The nestable security cage defined in claim 3, and which includes lock means mounted at the upper edge of said upper gate and said first transverse member for locking the upper gate in its closed position and for concomitantly maintaining the forward edge of said intermediate shelf member in engagement with the upper ends of said lower gaTes. 